The 41st annual boys Hanson Classic is Saturday, Jan. 21 at the Corn Palace.

The classic features seven Class A and Class B teams either ranked or receiving votes in the latest poll. The event starts at 10 a.m. with Bridgewater-Emery vs. Harding County and concludes with Sioux Valley vs. Dakota Valley at 8:30 p.m.

The Hanson Classic will be available on pay-per-view at www.beavers.liveticket.tv. The cost of the PPV daily ticket will be $12.50.

All PPV Sales will be via PayPal. All PPV Sales will create a Personal Account with a personal email and Password. You will use this email/password to Login for each game each day in the Video Player(s) on www.beavers.liveticket.tv. Customer Service is available at (833) 605-5483 ext. #0.

Here are five matchups to watch at the boys Hanson Classic:

De Smet vs. Lower Brule 

The rematch is set. 

De Smet and Lower Brule — last year’s Class B finalists — will meet at 5:30 p.m. at the Corn Palace. The Bulldogs and Sioux have played the past two seasons, with De Smet also winning a 2021 state tournament first-round game. 

The teams are back in the Class B title hunt this season and are both ranked in the latest poll. De Smet (7-2) is No. 3 in the latest poll, while Lower Brule (8-2) is No. 4 in the rankings. 

The Bulldogs are anchored by 6-foot-10 post Damon Wilkinson, who is coming off a 25-point and 25-rebound performance against Hamlin. Wilkinson, a college basketball and football prospect, is complemented by the likes of Kadyn Fast, Gannon Gruenhagan, George Jensen and Kasen Janssen. 

The Sioux counter with two of Class B’s most dynamic scoring guards in Brian LaRoche (25.6 ppg) and Gavin Thigh (16.9 ppg). LaRoche is coming off a 57-point and 12 3-pointer performance in a 114-46 win over Cheyenne-Eagle Butte on Jan. 17. LaRoche had 36 points and 10 3-pointers through the first two quarters. 

White River's T.J. Beardt (22) and Bridgewater-Emery's Aguer Van Sickle (13) go after a rebound at the Hoop City Classic. (Rodney Haas / 605 Sports)

White River vs. Aberdeen Christian 

No. 1 vs. No. 2 will be featured in the Hanson Classic’s penultimate matchup.  

No. 1 White River plays No. 2 Aberdeen Christian in a 7 p.m. featuring the top-two ranked Class B teams. It’s the first meeting between the Class B powers since the 2021 Hoop City Classic, a 58-48 White River victory. 

White River (10-1) is coming off the Jones County Invitational championship, its 17th title since 2006. The Tigers are powered by electric scoring guards Joe Sayler and Nic Marshall. Sayler, who is headed to South Dakota State University, amassed 90 total points at the three-day JCI tournament. He’s currently No. 15 on the state’s all-time scoring list with 2,279 career points. 

Aberdeen Christian is 8-0 and will play formidable foe Waubay/Summit on Thursday before focusing entirely on the Tigers. Aberdeen Christian is paced by three 1,000-point scorers in Malek Wieker, Ethan Russell and Jackson Isakson. The three are all averaging double figures in points per game: Russell (16.4), Wieker (15.1) and Isakson (10.6).   

Hamlin vs. Mount Vernon/Plankinton 

Hamlin and Mount Vernon/Plankinton wil face off at the Hanson Classic at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Hamlin (5-2) is led by all-state caliber guard Easton Neuendorf, son of Chargers head coach Todd Neuendorf. The Chargers are coming off a 57-55 win over Class B No. 3 De Smet on Jan. 17, in which Neuendorf’s steal and layup with less than a minute left gave Hamlin the lead late. Hamlin also defeated Howard, 55-49, at the Corn Palace during the Hoop City Classic on Dec. 28. The Chargers two losses have come against Class A foes Dell Rapids (64-52) and Class A No. 2 Sioux Valley (69-65). Hamlin averages 60.9 points per game, while giving up 52.3 points per game.

Mount Vernon/Plankinton is also led by an all-state caliber guard of its own in 6-foot-4 senior Reed Rus, who is a University of South Dakota football commit. Rus is also accompanied by 6-foot-7 senior center Jordan Stoltz. The Titans are coming off a 77-58 win over Redfield on Jan. 17, while their lone loss came against Lennox (65-52) on Jan. 6. MVP averages 67.1 points per game, while allowing 53.1 points per game. 

Winner vs. St. Thomas More 

A pair of West River foes will collide at 4 p.m. at the Corn Palace on Saturday.

Winner (8-1) is led by do-it-all guard Blake Volmer and 6-foot-7 sophomore Shawn Hammerbeck. The Warriors are coming off wins over Parkston (68-61) and Lyman (63-36) earlier this week, while their lone loss came against Class AA No. 3 Pierre (66-32) on Jan. 10. Winner averages 61.7 points per game, while allowing 40.7 points per game.

St. Thomas More (10-0) is coming off a 72-33 win over Lead-Deadwood on Jan. 17 and hosts Class AA foe Douglas on Thursday before tangling with Winner on Saturday. The Class A No. 4 Cavaliers are led by senior forwards Caleb Hollenbeck and Will Green. STM scores an average of 59.9 points per game, while holding its opponents to just 38.6 points per game. 

Sioux Valley vs. Dakota Valley 

The nightcap features the rematch.

Class A No. 1 Dakota Valley plays Class A No. 2 Sioux Valley in a rematch of last season’s state championship, an 82-65 Panthers’ victory. 

The matchup is filled with next-level athletes. Dakota Valley (8-0) is led by 6-foot-4 Isaac Bruns, who will head to the University of South Dakota next season. The all-state guard is averaging 27 points and eight rebounds per game. The Panthers are also paced by Jaxson Wingert (16 ppg/6 rpg) and Randy Rosenquist (13.8 ppg/8.6 apg/6.5 rpg). Rosenquist was also an all-state guard last season. 

The Cossacks (10-0) counter with their own all-stater Oliver Vincent, a 6-foot-1 senior guard. Vincent is complemented by 6-foot-10 junior center Alec Squires, who is committed to play at South Dakota State University. Senior guard Patrick Carey nailed seven 3-pointers in Sioux Valley’s last game, a 85-40 win over Chester Area. Sioux Valley drilled a school-record 19 3-pointers in the game. 

Complete Hanson Classic Pairings

Bridgewater-Emery vs. Harding County, 10 a.m.

Hanson vs. Gregory, 11:30 a.m.

Clark/Willow Lake vs. Canistota, 1 p.m.

Hamlin vs. Mount Vernon/Plankinton, 2:30 p.m.

Winner vs. St. Thomas More, 4 p.m.

De Smet vs. Lower Brule, 5:30 p.m.

White River vs. Aberdeen Christian, 7 p.m.

Sioux Valley vs. Dakota Valley, 8:30 p.m.